Patent GB-690170-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to statistical machines
Inventor: PERRIN JOHN
Filed: 1950-01-09
Abstract: 690,170. Statistics) apparatus; digital electric calculating-apparatus. POWER-SAMAS ACCOUNTING MACHINES, Ltd. Jan. 5, 1951 [Jan. 9, 1950], No. 558/50. Class 106 (i). In a decoding device for a statistical machine comprising a column of translator elements 42, each representing an uncoded number, one element, determined by the relative position of normally obstructing controlled decoding bars 29-32, being movable lengthwise to impart an impulse to a device to be actuated thereby, this element is positively moved by engagement with a projection 51 by a shutter 52, which is pivoted to a reciprocable frame 47 supporting the elements, and is rotatable into active position by engagement with a translator element during relative movement between the elements and frame. In the device shown, the bars 29-32 associated with each column of elements 42 are moved rightward from the position shown in Fig. 1B by the energization of electromagnets 24-27 representing values 8, 4, 2, 1, respectively. These magnets may receive result-representing impulses from an associated electronic calculating, e.g. multiplying, apparatus having factors entered therein from record cards through the coding device described in Specification 690,171. The elements 42 in a column, representing the numbers 1-11 as illustrated in Fig. 4, are spring-urged downwards by pins 50 and are normally obstructed by the bars 29-32 engaging tongues T. However, if, e.g., magnets 25-27 are energized (representing a. calculation result 7) to operate bars 30-32, guide slots 43 corresponding to the " 7 " element 42 are aligned so that this element can move downwards and set, through an associated rigid wire 44 and pin 45, a corresponding bar 46 of a punch set bar unit SBU to enable the result to be recorded on the card from which the factors were obtained, by punching mechanism, Fig. 1A (not shown). When the frame 47, which is reciprocated by a cam (not shown), moves downward, the spring- urged shutters 52 are rocked by the obstructed elements 42 so that their lower ends 58 move the selected elements into engagement with the wires 44. To enable sterling amounts to be decoded, an additional bar (not shown) is operated by a magnet 69 for controlling a " 10/- " translator element. Instead of punches, the translating elements 42 may control printing type, or timing devices for the shutters of card-receiving pockets of a sorting machine. In the latter case, the decoding device will be controlled directly from the sensed cards. inactive position, each actuator being mounted for movement, when in active position, into and out of engagement with an associated translator element 69 connected to one or more coding elements 74, whereby a sensed number represented by actuation of a selected element 69 is translated into a code represented by one or more impulses transmitted by the elements 74. As shown, perforated record cards are fed from a magazine 20, Fig. 1A, to a sensing chamber 29 mounted on a carriage 41, and afterwards to a punching chamber 90 and to a receiver 154, the feeding, sensing and punching mechanism being similar to that described in Specification 661,384. Each card may contain the factors of a calculation, e.g. a multiplier and multiplicand, and is sensed by raising carriage 41 relatively to pins 40. If a pin does not sense a card perforation it is moved upwardly to operate its associated element 50, Fig. 3, against a spring 55, thus moving actuator 62 about its pivot 63 out of alignment with its translating element 69. On further upward movement of carriage 41, adjustable members 60 engage and move upwardly the actuator frame 56 so that the translating elements opposite those actuators which have not been moved to inactive position are moved upwardly and operate the coding elements through electrical means or, as shown, through Bowden wires 70. For each column of pins 40, and elements 62, 69, Fig. 2, there are four elements 74 representing values 8, 4, 2, 1, respectively and each rotatably carrying a cylindrical member 77 having an electrically conducting portion 78 and an insulator portion 80. When a coding element is operated, the portion 78 engages spring contact members 85 so that an electrical impulse is transmitted via terminals 87 to an electronic calculating apparatus (not described in detail). The result of the calculation is sent as coded impulses to decoding device as described in Specification 690,170, which controls the punching mechanism to punch the decoded result on the card from which the factors were obtained. Reference is made to problems whose results are in sterling.